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BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE. 



DISCOURSE, 



DELIVERED BEFOKE THE 



EHODE-ISLAND HISTOEICAL SOCIETY, 



ON THE EVENING OF 



iWonbas, I^hvnax^ 16, 1S52. 



BY USHER PARSONS. 



PUBLISHED AT THE BEQUEST OF THE SOCIETY. 



^ PROVIDENCE: 
BENJAMIN T. ALBRO, PRINTER. 
1853. 



.t> p^ 



DISCOURSE. 



The Rhode Island Historical Society having requested me to 
prepare a discourse for this their anniversary public meeting, I 
have chosen for my subject a history of the Battle of Lake Erie. 

I have made this choice, first because this battle is a part of 
Rhode-Island History, and therefore appropriate to the occasion ; 
secondly, because I could speak of it from personal knowledge ; 
and thirdly, because a very inaccurate and perverted account of 
it has been written and imposed upon the public by the late J. 
Fenimore Cooper, Esquii-e. I am aware that this gentleman's 
mistakes and misrepresentations should have been noticed and 
corrected before his decease, and my apology for the delay is, 
that I never saw the pamphlet containing them, nor knew of its 
existence, until within a few days past, and after commencing 
this discourse. 

My aim will be to give an account of the origin of the fleet 
or squadron on the lake ; of its conflict with the British squad- 
ron, of the consequences, immediate and remote, and in conclu- 
sion notice some of Mr. Cooper's erroneous positions and false 
inferences. 

At the commencement of the war of 1812, Government un- 
dertook the conquest of Upper Canada. General Hull was at 
the head of an army at Detroit, and General Van Rensselaer of 
another on the Niagara river. The former was captured, and 
the latter defeated. At this time the British held possession of 
Lake Erie, with five armed vessels, and had captured the Adams, 
the only armed vessel we owned upon the Lake. Theii- ves- 
sels, carrying sailors and Indians, could at any moment strike a 
fatal blow upon any defenceless settlements on the South side of 



4 

the lake, and while the militia were gathering to oppose them 
they could pounce upon another and another. The surrender 
of Hull exposed the territory at the head of the lake to inciu-- 
sions by land, and an attempt to oppose thera resulted in the 
capture of General Winchester's army. These three fruitless 
and disastrous expeditions taught the necessity of creating a fleet 
on Lake Erie, that should command it, and co-operate with Gen- 
eral Harrison, who then commanded the North- Western army. 
Accordingly in the winter of 1812 — 13, the keels of five vessels 
were laid at Erie ; at the same time fom- or five merchant- 
schooners, being all that were then owned by us on the lake^ 
were purchased and armed with two or three guns each. 

There are good reasons, I may here remark, for considering 
the operations on Lake Erie as part of Rhode-Island history. 
At the commencement of the war, there was a flotilla of gun- 
boats stationed at Newport for the protection of Narragansett 
Bay, which was commanded by Oliver H. Perry, a native of this 
State, then 27 years of age. The interruption of commerce by 
the war had thrown many captains, mates and seamen out of 
employ, who entered the public service iii this flotilla. The ser- 
vice here being inactive, Perry volunteered for the lakes, and 
was ordered to superintend the out-fitting of the fleet at Lake 
Erie. He took with him many of the officers and seamen from 
Newport, and arrived at Erie in March, 1813. This accounts 
for there being so many Rhode-Islanders in the expedition. 
Four of the niiie commanders. Perry, Turner, Champlin and 
Almy were from this State, also a majority of the sailing-masters 
and mates, and several other officers, with a large number of 
sailors. Besides this. Commodore Perry, Lieutenant Turner, 
late a post-captain, sailing-master Taylor, now a post-captain in 
Newport, superintended the rigging and equipping and arming 
of the fleet. There has never been an expedition set on foot in 
this country, where so large a portion of the officers hailed from 
one State, or accomplished so much work as was done by Rhode 
Islanders on Lake Erie. 

In May 1813, Perry left Erie in a four-oared boat for Buffalo, 
where he arrived in twenty-four hours, the distance being 100 
miles. From thence he proceeded to Lake Ontario, and there 



rendered important services to Commodore Chauncy in the cap- 
ture of Fort George. On his way there, he stopped at Black 
Rock, near Buffalo, to hasten the arming and outfitting of the 
five merchant schooners, and on his way back to Erie he took 
with him from Chauncy's fleet a few men, and borrowed two 
companies of infantry from the army, with which he manned 
the vessels and sailed to Erie. It was a Herculean labor to drag 
these vessels by land up the rapids at Black Rock into the Lake, 
and required nearly a week with two hmidi-ed men, who warped 
them with ropes over their shoulders. Soon after getting safely 
into the Lake off Bufialo, we sailed for Erie. On the day fol- 
lowing. Captain Perry was taken down with fever. On the 
next succeeding day, a small boat with two men appeared mider 
the lake-shore, rowing toward our vessels. They brought us 
intelligence from Erie that the enemy had just appeared there, 
and was probably in pursuit of us. Perry immediately took the 
deck, and gave orders to the other vessels to prepare for action, 
and to board the enemy should he come near us. Fortunately 
we were not discovered, and on the evening of the next day our 
little squadron entered Erie in safety. 

No one who hears me can form any idea of the difficulties 
encountered in obtaining cordage, canvas, cannon, powder and 
balls, and all other outfits, which were to be brought to Erie 
mostly from the seaboard, a distance of fom* or five hundred 
miles, over bad roads. Notwithstanding under the direction of 
the Rhode Island oflicers, the Avork progressed rapidly and suc- 
cessfully. A regiment of Pennsylvania militia was tented on a 
ground near the shore where our fleet lay ; and whenever the 
enemy looked in upon us, at the harbor of Erie, which they did 
every few days, this regiment of militia paraded, and made a 
formidable appearance upon the high bank of the lake, as a re- 
pelling force, but in reality, had the enemy approached to de- 
stroy our fleet, could have done little to prevent it. They how- 
ever served as a sort of scare-crow, to frighten him away. 

The enemy, on learning that a fleet was preparing to gain pos- 
session of the lake, had early in the spring laid the keel of a 
ship larger than had ever floated upon the lake, which added to 
their other vessels, made their fleet to consist of the following 



6 

force : Detroit, (new ship) nineteen guns, dueen Charlotte, sev- 
enteen guns. Lady Prevost, thirteen guns, Hunter, ten guns, 
Little Belt, three, and the Chippewa, one ; total, sixty-three guns. 
The American force consisted of the following ; Lawrence and 
Niagara, precisely alike, twenty guns each; Ariel, four, Scorpion, 
two, Porcupine, one, Tigris, one, Caledonia, three, Somers, two, 
Tripp, one ; total, fifty-four guns. 

The Fleet was manned by sailors partly from Newport, and 
partly from Lake Ontario. The two larger vessels, Lawrence 
and Niagara, were built and rigged precisely alike, and carried 
132 officers and men each. By the 10th of July, the guns were 
mounted on board all the vessels, and the men were exercised 
at them several times a day. 

On Sunday the 18th of July, two respectable missionaries 
who were passing through Erie, were invited by the Commo- 
dore on board one of the large ships, where as many officers 
and men as could be spared from all the vessels were assembled 
to hear prayers that were offered up for the success of the ex- 
pedition. I shall never forget their fervent pleadings in our 
behalf, that we might subdue the hostile fleet, and thereby wrest 
from savage hands the tomahawk and scalping-knife, that had 
been so cruelly wielded against the defenceless settlers on the 
frontiers, and that in the event of a victory, mercy and kindness 
might be shown to the vanquished. 

The bar of Erie had thus far served as a fortification to pre- 
vent the enemy from entering the harbor where our fleet was 
preparing, but it now presented a serious obstacle to our egress. 
The two large brigs drew three feet of water more than there 
was on the bar. On Sunday evening, the 1st of August, the 
work began of clearing the Lawrence of cannon and balls, to 
lighten her ; and immense scows called camels were placed un- 
der her sides, and being sunk to the water's edge, timbers were 
passed through from side to side of the ship, the ends of which 
were blocked up, resting on these floating foundations. Plugs 
were now put into the scows, and the water bailed out, and as 
they rose they lifted the ship two feet, and this not being enough, 
the ballast and other heavy articles were taken out, till she was 
raised another foot, when she was able to pass over the bar. — 



The Niagara was served in like manner, but the smaller vessels 
had previously passed over without the aid of camels. Before 
the large vessels were fairly over, the enemy hove in sight, and 
fired a few balls which did not reach us. The Pennsylvania 
regiment paraded, and the small vessels that were out retiu-ned 
the enemy's fire. Had they come near enough to do execution 
while we were struggling over the bar, they might have des- 
troyed our fleet with little difficulty. 

On the 6th of August we sailed, with the fleet not more than 
half officered and manned, across the lake, wishing to encounter 
the enemy before the large new ship joined his squadron, but 
they had sailed for Maiden, and we returned to Erie the next 
day, where we found Captain Elliot just arrived from Lake 
Ontario, with nearly 100 officers and men. A new arrangement 
was now made of officers throughout the fleet, and we soon 
sailed up the lake in pursuit of the enemy, and anchored on the 
15th in Put-in-bay, in a cluster of islands near the head of the 
lake. On the 17th we sailed to the mouth of Sandusky bay, 
and on anchoring fired three guns, waited ten minutes and fired 
three more. This was a signal previously agreed upon by let- 
ters that passed between Perry and Harrison. In the evening, 
Colonel Gaines with a number of officers and Indians arrived on 
board, and reported General Harrison to be twenty-seven miles 
distant, with an army of 8000 militia, regulars and Indians. — 
Our boats were sent to bring the General and his suite on board, 
where they arrived on the 19th, late in a rainy evening. The 
General brought his two aids. Colonel McArthur, afterwards 
Governor of Ohio, and Colonel Cass, now Senator in Congress, 
with many of his principal officers, two hundred soldiers and 
fifty Indians, including the chiefs of several nations. They re- 
mained on board with us two days, to settle the plans of their 
future operations. The General learned that our crews were 
weakened by sickness, and on returning to the army sent us 
some thirty or forty volmiteers to serve with our sailors. Our 
crews became still more unhealthy, the Commodore and half of 
the officers were on the sick list with lake-fever. The two 
senior medical officers were confined to their berths, and the 
junior one was so reduced by the disease, that in visiting the 



8 

sick on board the different vessels, he was unable to climb up 
the ship's sides, and he was hoisted in and out like a barrel of 
flour or cask of water. 

We now looked into the harbor of Maiden, by way of return- 
ing the civilities the enemy had shown us at Erie. This kind 
of polite attention was repeated two or three times, until the 
evening of the 9th of September, when we anchored in Put-in- 
bay. On the following morning at sunrise, there was a cry 
from the mast-head, sail oh ! all hands sprang from theii- berths, 
and ere we coidd dress and reach the decks the cry was repeated 
again and again, until six sail were thus announced. Signal 
was made to the fleet, " Enemy in sight! get under way ! " and 
the hoarse voice and shrill pipe of the boatswain resounded 
through all the ships, all hands up anchor ! 

The wind at this time was from the Southwest, light and baf- 
fling, which prevented our weathering the island in our way, 
and it contiimed so mitil ten o'clock, when it veered to the 
Southeast, which enabled us to clear the island, and stand out 
upon the lake. We now discovered the English squadron, five 
or six miles to the leeward, hove to in a line, and equidistant 
about half a cable's length. The vessels were freshly painted, 
and with the morning sun shining upon their broadsides, and 
their red ensigns gently unfolding to the breeze, they made a 
very gallant appearance. Our squadron bore down to engage 
them, with the wind on our larboard quarter. They were ar- 
ranged with the Chippewa, of one long eighteen pomider on a 
pivot ahead ; the Detroit of nineteen guns, bearing the broad 
pendant of the Commodore, next ; the Hmiter of ten guns, the 
third ; the Q,ueen Charlotte of seventeen guns, fourth ; the 
Lady Prevost of thirteen guns, fifth, and the Little Belt of three 
guns, sixth. Captain Perry immediately arranged his line of 
battle, with his own ship to fight the Detroit, broad pendant 
against broad pendant, Commodore against Commodore. Two 
gun-boats, the Ariel and Scorpion, ranged ahead on our larboard 
bow, a little out of a straight line. The Caledonia, of three 
long twenty-four poimders, came next, after the Lawrence, to 
encounter the Hunter ; the Niagara next, to fight the Q.ueen 
Charlotte , and the Somers, Porcupine, Tigris and Tripp, to en- 



counter the Lady Prevost and Little Belt. Thus arranged, our 
fleet moved on to attack the enemy, distant at ten o'clock about 
four or five miles. The Commodore next produced the burgee, 
or fighting flag, hitherto concealed in the ship. It was inscribed 
with large white letters on a blue ground, that could be read 
throughout the fleet, " Don't give up the Ship," the last 
words of the expiring Lawrence, and now to be hoisted at the 
mast-head of the flag-ship bearing his name. A spirited appeal 
was made to the crew assembled upon the quarter-deck, who 
returned three hearty cheers that were repeated along the whole 
line of om- vessels, and up went the flag to the top of the fore- 
royal. The Commodore brought me a package of papers, 
having a piece of lead attached to them, and gave orders in the 
event of his falling, to throw the papers overboard ; they were 
instructions from Government, and letters from Mrs. Perry. — 
The grog ration being served out, drums and fifes struck up the 
thrilling air, ''all hands, all hands, all hands to quarters," calling 
all to their respective stations. The Commodore was on the 
quarter deck with two young officers, Thomas Breese and his 
own brother, Alexander Perry, whose duty it was to rmi with 
his orders to every part of the ship, for in the din and uproar of 
battle no officer can be heard ten feet off". The hatches were 
now closed excepting a small aperture ten inches square, tln-ough 
which powder-cartridges were to be passed up from the maga- 
zine by boys nimble of foot during the battle, and through 
which light was admitted into the surgeon's room, where the 
wounded were to be brought. The floor of this apartment was 
on a level with the surface of the water outside, and consequent- 
ly the wounded were as much exposed to the enemy's cannon 
balls as if they were on deck. Six men were dii-ected to bring 
the wounded below, and to assist the smgeon in moving them. 
Every preparation being made, and every man at his post, a 
profound silence reigned for more than one hour, the most try- 
ing part of the whole scene. It was like the stillness of the at- 
mosphere that precedes the hurricane, while the fleet moved on 
steadily till a quarter before meridian, when the awful suspense 
was relieved by a cannon-shot aimed at us from the flag-ship 
Detroit, one mile distant. It was like an electric shock, and 

2 



10 

was soon followed by another. The two gun-boats ahead of 
us now fired one or two long guns. At this time the Ariel, 
Scorpion, Lawrence, Caledonia and Niagara were all in their re- 
spective stations in the order they are named, distant from each 
other about half a cable's length. The other vessels not sailing 
quite so well were a little out of their stations astern. At ten 
minutes before twelve, fire was opened from all the long gims of 
the enemy. At five minutes before meridian, the Lawrence 
beginning to suffer, returned the fire from her long bow gun, a 
twelve pounder, when the two gun-boats ahead were ordered by 
trumpet, to commence the action, and the Caledonia and Niaga- 
ra astern, opened their fire with their long guns. The stern- 
most vessels soon after opened also, but at too great a distance 
to do much injm-y. PeiTy finding himself not sufficiently near 
to do execution with his carronades, made all sail again, and or- 
dered the word to be passed by trumpet to the vessels astern. 
The order was responded to and transmitted along the line by 
Captain Elliot of the Niagara, whose vessel was stationed next 
but one astern of the Lawrence. But the Niagara did not make 
sail with the Lawrence, and accompany her down into close ac- 
tion as ordered, but continued her long shot with two bow guns^ 
(having shifted the left one over to the starboard side.) Perry 
pressed on, and supposing himself near enough, fired his forward 
carronades, but finding they did not tell, he pressed on still near- 
er, suffering terribly, and getting near enough for execution he 
opened a rapid and most destructive fire upon the Detroit. The 
Scorpion and Ariel ahead were not deemed worthy of the ene- 
my's aim, yet those small vessels having heavy cannon fought 
nobly and with great effect. The Caledonia astern followed 
the Lawrence into close action against her antagonist the Hunt- 
er. But the Niagara, which, when the battle began was within 
hail of the Lawrence, did not follow her down toward the en- 
emy's line,so as to encounter her antagonist the Q,ueen Charlotte. 
The Niagara, I say, did not make sail when the Lawrence 
did, but hung back for two hours, when she should have 
followed the example of the Lawrence, and grappled with the 
Queen Charlotte at the same time that vessel did the Detroit. 
The Clueen was expecting it, but as her antagonist did not 



11 

come up, she shot ahead to fire upon the Lawrence, and in 
so doing she passed the Hunter, that had been ahead between 
her and the Detroit. After a lapse of two hours Elhot filled his 
sails and came up, the Caledonia moved on towards the Hunter, 
which had now dropped astern and to the leeward of the dueen. 
Elliot in order to approach the dueen must pass the Caledonia, 
which he did to the windward or outside of her, and was ap- 
proaching the Lawrence, which however was crippled and was 
dropping astern a perfect wreck. Elliot then, instead of passing 
directly down to engage the dueen, luffed to the windward to 
go round and outside of the Lawrence, and while abreast of her 
larboard beam, and nearly half a mile distant, Perry left the 
Lawrence for the Niagara in a boat, and boarded her when she 
had reached a little ahead of the Lawrence on her larboard bow. 
The Lawrence now hauled down her flag and ceased firing. 
Perry sent Elliot to the small vessels astern to bring them up, 
and turning his ship's head eight points towards the enemy's 
line, making a right angle in her course, he went within pistol- 
shot of the Detroit's bow, and took a raking position. The De- 
troit in attempting to Avear to bring her broadside to her, fell on 
board the Q,ueen Charlotte, and gave Perry a chance to rake 
both ships, which he did so effectually that in five minutes they 
hauled down their colors. Perry now shot further ahead near 
the Lady Prevost, which from being crippled in her rudder, had 
drifted out of her place to the leeward, and was pressing forward 
toward the head of the line to support the two ships. Perry 
gave her a broad-side which silenced her battery. The Hunter 
next struck, and the two smaller vessels attempted to escape, but 
were overhauled by the Scorpion and Tripp, and tlius ended the 
action at near four o'clock, P. M. 

Let us now advert for a moment to the scenes exhibited in 
the flag-ship Lawrence. The wounded began to come down 
before the Lawrence opened her battery, and for one I felt im- 
patient at the delay. In proper time however as it proved, the 
dogs of war were let loose from their leash, and it seemed as 
though heaven and earth were at logger-heads. For more than 
two long hours, little could be heard but the deafening thmiders 
of our own broad-sides, the crash of balls dashing through our 



12 

timbers, and the shrieks of the wounded. These were brought 
down faster than I could attend to them, farther than to stay the 
bleeding, or support the shattered limbs with splints, and pass 
them forward upon the berth deck. Two or three were killed 
near me, after being wounded. I well remember the complaints 
that the Niagara did not come up. " Why does she hang back 
so, out of the battle ? "' Among those early brought down was 
Lieutejiant Brooks, son of the late Governor Brooks, of Massa- 
chusetts, a most accomplished gentleman and officer ; and re- 
nowned for personal beauty. A cannon-ball had struck him 
in the hip, he knew his doom, and inquired how long he should 
live ; I told him a few hours. He inquired two or three times 
how the day was going, and expressed a hope that the Commo- 
dore would be spared. But new-comers from deck brought 
more and more dismal reports, until finally it was announced 
that we had struck. In the lamentations of despair among the 
wounded, I lost sight of poor Brooks for a few minutes, but 
when the electrifying cry was heard that the enemy's two ships 
had struck, I rushed on deck to see if it were true, and then to 
poor Brooks to cheer him, but he was no more, — he was too 
much exhausted by his wounds to survive the confusion that 
preceded this happy transition. 

When the battle had raged an hour and a half, I heard a call 
for me at the small sky-light, and stepping toward it I saw it 
was the Commodore, whose countenance was as calm and pla- 
cid as if on ordinary duty. " Doctor," said he, " send me one 
of your men," meaning one of the six that were to assist me, 
which was done instantly. In five minutes the call was repeat- 
ed and obeyed, and at the seventh call I told him he had them 
all. He asked if any could pull a rope, when two or three of 
the wounded crawled upon deck to lend a feeble hand in pulling 
at the last guns. 

When the battle was raging most severely, Midshipman Lamb 
•came down with his arm badly fractured ; I applied a splint and 
requested him to go forward and lie down ; as he was leaving 
me, and while my hand was on him, a cannon-ball struck him 
in the side, and dashed him against the other side of the room, 
which instantly terminated his sufferings. Charles Pohig, a 



13 

Narragansett Indian, who was badly wounded, suifered in like 
manner. 

There were other incidents that were less painful to witness. 
The Commodore's dog had secreted himself in the bottom of 
the closet containing all our crockery. A cannon-ball passed 
through the closet, and smashed crockery and door, covering the 
floor with fragments. The dog set up a barking protest against 
the right of such an invasion of his chosen retirement. 

Lieutenant Yai-nel had hi-s scalp badly torn, and came below 
with the blood streaming over his face ; some lint was hastily 
applied and confined with a large bandanna, with directions to 
report himself for better dressing after the battle, and he insisted 
on returning to the deck. The cannon-balls had knocked to 
pieces the hammocks stowed away on deck, and let loose their 
contents, which were reed or flag tops, that floated in the air 
like feathers and gave the appearance of a snow-storm. These 
lighted upon Yarnel's head covered with blood, and on coming 
below with another injury, his bloody face covered with the cat 
tails made his head resemble that of a huge owl. Some of the 
wounded roared out with laughter that the devil had come for us. 

The hard fightuig terminated about three o'clock. As the 
smoke cleared away the two fleets were found completely min- 
gled, the small vessels astern having come up to the others. — 
The shattered Lawrence lying to the windward was once more 
able to hoist her flag, which was cheered by a few feeble voices 
on board, making a melancholy sound compared with the bois- 
terous cheers that preceded the battle. 

The proud though painful duty of taking possession of the 
conquered ships was now perforaied. The Detroit was nearly 
dismantled, and the destruction and carnage had been dreadfuL 
The (iueen was in a condition little better. The whole num- 
ber killed in the British fleet was forty-one, and of wounded 
ninety-four. Every commander and second in command, says 
Barclay in his oflicial report, was either killed or wounded. In 
our fleet were twenty-seven killed, and ninety-six wounded ; of 
the twenty-seven killed, twenty-two were on board the Law- 
rence, and of the ninety-six wounded, sixty-one were on board 
this same ship, making eighty-three killed and wounded out of 



14 

one huiidi-ed aiid one reported fit for duty in the Lawrence ou 
the morning of the battle. On board the Niagara were two 
killed and twenty-three wounded, making twenty-five ; and out 
of these twenty-five, twenty-two were killed or wounded after 
Perry took command of her. ' 

After four o'clock, a boat was discovered approaching the 
Lawrence. Soon the Commodore was recognized in her, who 
was returning to resume the command of his tattered ship, de- 
termined that the remnant of her crew should have the satisfac- 
tion of witnessing the formal surrender of the British officers. 
It was a time of conflictuig emotions when he stepped upon 
deck ; the battle was won and he was safe, but the deck was 
slippery with blood, and strewn with the bodies of twenty offi- 
cers and men, some of whom had set at table with us at our 
last meal, and the ship resounded everywhere with the groans 
of the wounded. Those of us who were spared and able to 
walk, met him at the gangway to welcome him on board, but 
the salutation was a silent one on both sides ; not a word could 
find utterance. 

And now the British officers arrived, one from each vessel, to 
tender their submission and with it their swords. "When they 
had approached, picking their way among the wreck and car- 
nage of the deck, they held their swords with the hilts towards 
Perry, and tendered them to his acceptance. With a dignified 
and solemn air, the most remote possible from any betrayal of 
exultation, and in a low tone of voice, he requested them to re- 
tain their side-arms, inquired with deep concern for Commodore 
Barclay and the wounded officers, tendering to them every com- 
fort his ship aff'orded," and expressing his regret that he had not 
a spare medical officer to send them, adding that he had only 
one on duty for the fleet, who had his hands full. 

Among the ninety-six wounded there occurred three deaths ; 
a result so favorable was attributable to the plentiful supply of 
provisions brought off from the Ohio shore, to fresh air, the 
wounded being ranged under an awning on the deck until we 
arrived at Erie ten days after the action, and also to the devoted 
attention of Commodore Perry to every want. 

Those who were killed in the battle Avere committed to the 



15 

deep at night-fall, the Episcopal service being read over them. 
On the following morning, the two fleets sailed into Pnt-in-bay, 
where the slain officers were buried on shore. The scene was 
a solemn one. Equal respect wa^ paid to the slain of the two 
fleets. Minute-guns were fired from the fleet, a martial band 
preceded performing a funeral dii'ge, and the corpses were 
ranged in alternate order of American and British, and the pro- 
•cession followed in like order to the graves, where the funeral 
service was read. A striking contrast this to the scene presented 
two days before, when both the living and the dead now form- 
ing this solemn and fraternal train were engaged in fierce and 
bloody strife, hurling at each other the thunder-bolts of war. — 
When will Christian nations learn to act like consistent Chris- 
tians ? 

On the 8th day after the action, the Lawrence was despatched 
jto Erie with the wounded, where we received a cordial welcome 
«.nd kind hospitality. The remainder of the fleet conveyed Har- 
rison's army to Maiden, and some of the vessels ascended the 
Detroit river. Harrison found the army of General Proctor had 
gone, after burning the public stores, and had retreated toward 
the Thames. Perry joined Harrison as a volunteer aid, and our 
troops pursued, overtook and captured the army, the only army 
that was captured during the war. Proctor escaped, his com- 
panion Tecumseh, there is every reason to believe was killed, 
since a dozen persons claim the honor of firing the fatal ball. 
Perry then accompanied Harrison and Commodore Barclay to 
Erie, where they landed amid peals of cannon and the shouts of 
the multitude. Perry thence returned to Newport, receiving on 
his way the acclamations of a grateful people in every city and 
village through which he passed. 

In reviewing the incidents of the battle, we must admit that 
in several particulars the enemy had hard luck, which contributed 
to their defeat and capture. The wind turned in our favor 
before the action began. The Commanders of theii- two vessels 
were killed or severely wounded early ; the rudder of the Lady 
Prevost was disabled, which caused her to drift out of the line ; 
and worse than this, the running of the Queen against the De- 
troit, which prevented her wearing, and exposed both ships to a 



16 

raking fire from the thii'ty-two pound carronades of the Niagara, 
a fresh ship, and in prime order, — all helped to turn the day in 
our favor. To this it should be added that the enemy were 
just out of port, and had not been training their gims daily for 
weeks, as our men had done, which enabled them to load and 
fire with astonishing frequency. 

Immediately after the battle, the Commodore despatched to 
General Harrison the following note : " Dear General, We have 
met the enemy and they are ours, two ships, two brigs, one sloop 
and one schooner," adding in a postscript, send us some soldiers 
to help take care of the prisoners, who are more numerous than 
ourselves. At the same time be announced the victory to the 
Secretary of the Navy in the following words. " It has pleased 
the Almighty to give to the arms of the United States a signal 
victory over their enemies on this lake. The British squadron, 
consisting of two ships, two brigs, one sloop and one schooner, 
have this moment surrendered to the force under Uhj command 
after a sharp conflict." 

And now followed the more difficult task of making out a de- 
tailed report, in which Perry must speak of the conduct of the 
principal deck-officers of the flfiet ; a task that was quite as per- 
plexing to him as the fighting of the battle had beeii. 

The officers of the small vessels came on board the Lawrence 
on the second evening from the battle, and all of them, without 
exception, expressed but one opinion of the conduct of Elliot, in 
keeping out of the battle, that he held back more than two 
hours from engaging his antagonist the Q,ueen, that when the 
Lawrence was much crippled and began to drop astern, the Ni- 
agara then came up abreast of her, not between her and the ene- 
my, but far away outside, much farther from the Lawrence than 
the Lawrence was from the enemy, that Perry at this moment 
having fought his own ship to the last, entered a boat with five 
men, and rowed to the Niagara^ and by the time he reached her 
she was on the larboard bow of the Lawrence, from a third to 
half a mile distant. That he immediately despatched Captain 
Elliot to the stern vessels, and turned the Niagara's head to- 
ward the enemy, so as to make nearly a right angle with the 
course she had been steering, and crossing the line the Lawrence 



17 

■was steering, about sixty yards ahead of her, came within pistol- 
shot of the enemy's flag-ship Detroit. These facts every officer 
agreed to, and the log-book of the Lawrence, written up on the 
evening of the battle, and which is the best official document 
that could be furnished, states them in about so many words. 

Nor did any one suppose that Elliot or any of his officers 
would take any ground contrary to these facts. But Elliot per- 
ceived their bearing, and, to save himself, began to pay court to 
Perry. He took to his bed and sent for Dr. Parsons to visit 
him on the second day after the battle, who could discover no 
positive disease upon him. He spoke disparagingly of his Sur- 
geon, remarking that he was sick, and if well was good for noth- 
ing, and requested Dr. Parsons to attend his wounded, who re- 
plied that Dr. Barton was a good Surgeon, and in a few days 
would be able to return to duty. The wounded were however 
all removed on board the Lawrence, now made a general hospi- 
tal ship, to be sent to Erie. Elliot also sent for Perry while 
thus confined to his bed, when he expressed to him his regret 
that he had not entered earlier into the action, extolled Perry's 
conduct and offered some lame excuse for his own ; and this 
insinuating com'se induced Commodore Perry, under the gen- 
erous impulses of his nature, to try to save him. Perry knew 
that the officers of all the vessels of the fleet, except the Niaga- 
ra, had expressed their opinion against Elliot ; and fearing that 
their letters to their friends might ruin him, he sent two confi- 
dential persons, Messrs. Hambleton and Turner, to all the fleet, 
to say that he. Perry, though not satisfied with Elliot's con- 
duct, wished to save him, and requested that they would be si- 
lent respecting the fact of his keeping out of battle for more 
than two hours, adding that there was honor enough gained for 
the fleet to enable it to save Elliot. They all but one com- 
plied with this request, but some of the volunteers from the ar- 
my were not applied to, and some of their letters, with one from 
Yarnel escaped, in which Elliot's conduct was condemned. 

Of course when Perry's official report appeared in print, the 
officers of the Lawrence were dissatisfied at his saying so much 
in favor of Elliot. They had expected that he would not 
speak of him at all. But Perry had resolved to save him from 



18 

public censure, and therefore says in his report, " at half-past 
two, the wind springing up. Captain Elliot was enabled to bring 
his vessel gallantly into close action. I immediately went on 
board of her, when he anticipated my wishes by volunteering 
to bring up the schooners into close action." (>S'ee Appendix.) 

Beside this desire to save Elliot, Perry was unwilling that the 
enemy should know that the second in command in our squad- 
ron had failed in his duty. In expressing his doubts to Mr. 
Hambleton, his confidential friend, at the time of drawing up 
the report, he quoted with approbation the declaration of an 
English admiral. " It is better to screen a coward, than to let 
the enemy know there is one in the fleet." 

Perry before signing his official report, allowed Elliot to see 
what he had written, with which he expressed himself as satis- 
fied. But the stubborn fact there stated, that " at half-past two 
the wind springing up enabled him to bring his ship gallantly 
into action," coupled with the inquiry which he foresaw the 
public would natiu-ally make, why he did not advance to his 
station when the Lawrence pushed forward into hers, both ships 
being in all respects alike, and having the same wind, — this 
stared him in the face. He applied to Perry to vary that state- 
ment in some way, so as to screen him. He also immediately 
and secretly drew certificates from his own officers, showing that 
he had done his duty, which as they belonged to the ship whose 
reputation seemed to involve their own, under the moulding in- 
fluence which a commander always has over his officers, they 
were prevailed upon to sign. This was an advantage which 
Perry did not avail himself of ; for very soon after the battle he 
left the fleet for home, unconscious that Elliot was busily at 
work in obtaining certificates from his officers. When the cer- 
tificates of the Lawrence's officers were obtained some years 
after, not one of them was under Perry's command. 

At the same time that Elliot was obtaining these certificates 
he was making artful appeals to Perry for stronger expressions 
of praise upon his conduct. On the 18th of September, he said 
in a note to Perry, that his reputation was suffering in the neigh- 
borhood of his family, and requested a written statement from 
him as to his conduct in the battle. Perry, not knowing the 



19 

insidious course that Elliot was pursuing toward him, wrote a 
very favorable letter, supposing he wished to send it to his fam- 
ily ; doubtless he was irritated by the thought that his wish to 
save Elliot had been frustrated. He expressed himself as being 
dissatisfied and vexed at being thwarted in his determined pur- 
pose, and in this state of mind, and moved by the pathetic 
appeal of Elliot he wrote him the following letter. 

"Sept. 19, 1813. 

" Deae Sir, 

I received your note last evening after I had turned in, or I should 
have answered it immediately. I am indignant that any rej^ort should be in cir- 
culation prejudicial to your character, as respects the action of the 10th instant. 
It affords me pleasure that I have it in my power to assure you, that the con- 
duct of youi'self, officers, and crew was such as to meet my warmest approbation. 
And I consider the cu-cumstance of your volunteering and bringing the smaller 
vessels into closer action, as contributing largely to our victory. I shall ever be- 
lieve it a premeditated plan of the enemy to disable oiu- commanding vessel, by 
bringing all their force to bear upon her ; and I am satisfied, had they not pur- 
sued their covu'se, tlie engagement would not have lasted thirty minutes. I have 
no doubt, if the Charlotte had not made sail and engaged the Lawrence, the Ni- 
agara would have taken her in twenty minutes. 

Respectfully, &c. 

O. H. PERRY." 

This may be regarded as a rope thrown to a drowning man, 
but which instead of saving Elliot enabled him to pull Perry 
overboard. 

In a letter to his friend Hambleton, a few months after, when 
he heard of Elliot's intrigues, Perry says, " I was sensible on 
reflection, I had already said too much in my official report." — 
'■ Subsequently I became involved in his snares ; and on his 
writing me a note of which he has published only a part, I was 
silly enough to write him in reply the foolish letter of the 19th 
of September, because I thought it necessary to persevere in 
endeavoring to save him." " This undoubtedly reflects on my 
head, but not on my heart. I was willing enough to share with 
him and others the fame I had acquired." Again he says, " It 
was a matter of great doubt when I reflected upon Elliot's con- 
duct, to what to attribute his keeping so long out of action." — 
" I did not then know enough of human nature to believe that 
any one could be so base as to be guilty of the motive which 
some ascribed to him, namely, a determination to sacrifice me 
by keeping his vessel out of the conflict.'* 



20 

Learning that Elliot persisted in his intrigues, aiming to ele- 
vate himself at the expense of his Commander who had endeav- 
ored to save him, Perry spoke of him as one who would find it 
for his interest to say less about Lake Erie, as he would injure 
himself by bringing before the public eye a different and truer rep- 
resentation of his conduct than had hitherto been given. Some 
of his remarks of this nature reached Elliot's ear, upon which he 
sent Perry a challenge with an insulting note, who responded 
that he would be entitled to a meeting when he had cleared 
himself from the charges about to be forwarded to the Secretary 
of the Navy. Accompanying the charges was a letter from Per- 
ry, explanatory of his whole course of action towards Captain 
Elliot from and after the battle, a few extracts from which are 
inserted. He says, "At the moment of writing my Official Re- 
port I did in my own mind avoid coming to any conclusion to 
what cause the conduct of Captain Elliot was to be imputed : 
Nor was I then fully acquainted with all the circumstances re- 
lating to it." * * " I was, after the engagement commenced, 
necessarily too much engaged in the actual scene before me, to 
reflect deliberately upon the cause which could induce Captain 
Elliot to keep his vessel so distant both from me and the enemy. 
And, after the battle was won, I felt no disposition rigidly to 
examine into the conduct of any of the officers of the fleet ; 
and, strange as the behavior of Captain Elliot had been, yet I 
could not allow myself to come to a decided opinion." 

" The subsequent conduct also of Captain Elliot ; the readi- 
ness with which he undertook the most minute services ; the 
unfortunate situation in which he now stood, which he lamented 
to me, and his marked endeavors to conciliate protection, were 
calculated to have their eflect. But, still more than all, I was 
actuated by a strong desire that, in the fleet I then had the hon- 
or to command, there should be nothing but harmony after the 
victory had been gained, and that nothing should transpii-e which 
would bring reproach upon any part of it, or convert into crimi- 
nation the praises to which it was entitled, and which I wished 
all to share and enjoy. The difficulties produced in my mind 
by these considerations were, at the time, fully expressed to an 
officer of the fleet, in whom I had great confidence. If I omit- 



21 

ed to name Captain Elliot, or named him without credit, I might 
not only ruin that officer, but at the same time give occasion to 
animadversions which, at that period, I thought would be little 
to the honor or advantage of the service. If my Official Report 
of that transaction is reverted to, these embarrassments with re- 
spect to Captain Elliot, under which I labored in drawing it, 
will, I believe, be apparent. That report was very different 
from what had been expected by the officers of the fleet ; but, 
having adopted the course which I thought most prudent to pur- 
sue with regard to Captain Elliot, I entreated them to acquiesce 
in it, and made every exertion in my power to prevent any far- 
ther remarks on his conduct, and even furnished him with a fa- 
vorable letter or certificate for the same purpose, of which he 
has since made a very unjustifiable use." These extracts are 
inserted out of then- place, in order to show what Perry's 
opinion of him was during the five years after he left Lake Erie. 

Perry's life was saved amid the carnage of his own ship, and 
he was enabled to come off victorious in the fresh ship which 
Elliot had reserved from danger, in order that he might pluck 
the laurels with his own hand. The conduct of Elliot, although 
it doomed the Lawrence to a dreadful slaughter and prolonged 
the conflict, was not after all an unmixed evil in its con- 
sequences. The Niagara was in perfect order for Perry when 
he boarded her, and in much better condition than she could 
have been had she engaged her antagonist early in the fight. 

There is probably not to be found in the history of naval war- 
fare an instance where the heroism of one man has shone with 
such transcendent lustre over all others, as that of Perry in the 
battle of Lake Erie. After fighting his own ship till eighty- 
three were killed or wounded out of one hundred and one, he 
goes to a fresh ship of the same size having only three men in- 
jured, and takes her into the thickest of the fight, and in seven 
minutes adds twenty-two to the list, making one hundred and 
five killed and wounded on the decks on which he stood, while 
the whole number injured on the deck where Elliot stood was 
but three. Then as one hundred and five is to three, so was 
the danger to which Perry was exposed, compared with Elliot's 
exposure. 



22 

On the other hand, there is no other instance on record where 
the second in command has done so little to secure a victory. — 
Elliot arrived on the lake after the labor of building, arming, 
rigging, and equipping the fleet, a most difficult and perplexing 
task, had been performed by Perry, Turner and Taylor of Rhode- 
Island. He sails at once in a ship of the same size and model 
and armament, as the flag-ship. Instead of engaging his antag- 
onist as ordered, he hangs back, firing one or two long bow 
guns, which were the only ones that could reach his antagonist ; 
he hugs the Avind, going far away outside of the line, — he then 
leaves her with only three men injured, to bring up the dull- 
sailing vessels in the rear, which with the aid of sweeps, they 
had nearly done of themselves before he reached them; — he 
was probably about as long a time in rowing to these several 
vessels as Perry was in reaching the Detroit within pistol dis- 
tance ; — the victory was gained in a few minutes after, and 
there was no one injured in the small vessels while he, Elliot, 
was on board of them. 

Prejudiced if not hu-eling writers, among whom was the late 
J. Fenimore Cooper, whose Naval History contains many mis- 
takes and mis-statements, have endeavored to retrieve Elliot's 
reputation by asserting that the friends of Perry were not relia- 
ble witnesses in the case. He intimates that Dr. Parsons' 
testimony shows a strong bias against Elliot, because he testifies 
some years after the battle, that when called on board the Niag- 
ara to attend their wounded two days after the action, (their 
surgeon being sick) he inquired at what time in the action they 
were wounded. Cooper wished to convey the idea that the 
Doctor was actuated in this inquiry of the wounded by a desire 
to draw from them evidence against Elliot. Now it happens 
that the Doctor's motive for making the inquuy was altogether 
foreign from what Cooper has falsely imputed. He had not the 
most distant idea of ever being called upon for a written or even 
a verbal statement relating to the matter. His motive was this, 
and only this. The wounded of the Niagara had lam more 
than forty hours with their wounds undressed, and each one 
was impatient and clamorous for first attendance. But as he 
could not dress all at once, it was necessary to adopt some rule 



23 

that should be equitable, and stop their clamor for some hours; 
and this rule was, to take them in the order of succession in 
which they fell ; and in making the inquiry who were first 
wounded, two reported themselves as wounded before Perry 
came on board. Others would have reported in like manner if 
they could have done it, but it was conceded by all that these 
two were entitled to first attendance, because they were wound- 
ed before Elliot left the ship, and no others made any such pre- 
tension. It was necessary to adopt the same rule of succession 
in the Lawrence the day previous, and he so stated the fact in 
a surgical account of the battle published soon after it took place, 
and before the controversy between Perry and Elliot appeared 
before the public. Was it fair and honorable in Cooper to as- 
sign false motives for his conduct in this matter, merely for the 
purpose of bolstering the reputation of Elliot ? 

Again, Cooper intimates that the testimony of several officers 
in favor of Perry should be received with much caution ; that 
Messrs. Parsons, Breese, Taylor, Champlin and Brownell appear 
to have been natives of Rhode-Island, and to have accompanied 
Perry when he left the State, that they were consequently par- 
tisan witnesses, and not entitled to confidence. Now it happens 
that Dr. Parsons never saw Rhode-Island, nor a Rhode-Island 
citizen until he met these gallant fellows on the Lake, although 
Cooper reiterates the charge not less than five times in the 
pamphlet. Not one of these officers was ever requested by 
Perry or any other person to express an opinion respecting the 
battle, during the five years next after it occurred, and not even 
then while under his command and iiffiuence ; whilst the certifi- 
cates of the officers of the Niagara, Elliot hastened to obtain 
immediately after the action, and when the certifiers were under 
his command, and subject to his capricious discipline. Their 
ship being in bad odor with the public, (although their own 
good conduct had never been questioned, ) it was natural that 
they should endeavor to place her commander's conduct, before 
Perry boarded her, in as favorable a light as possible. Elliot 
began his intrigues with them by representing to Purser Ma- 
grath and Sailing-master Webster, that but for his own exertions 
and intercessions they would not have been mentioned in Per- 



24 

ry's official report of the action. Magrath too had about this-! 
time sent an insulting message to Perry, who had given him an 
order to execute as Purser, to which he replied that he was not 
Commodore Perry's lackey. For this disrespect to his command-- 
er he was arrested, but after making a suitable apology, he was 
restored to duty. 

You will perceive then the origin of Magrath's vindictive course 
toward Perry. While smarting under the thought of his arrest, 
and the irritation which Elliofs remarks occasioned, this file- 
leader of liis certifiers, wrote the letter extolling Elliot, to the 
Secretary of the Navy, — a distorted version of the battle pub- 
lished in the Erie Gazette, — his own certificate, and last but not 
least, the congratulatory address of the Niagara's officers to 
Elliot. But after a few months' calm reflection Mr. Magrath said 
in my hearing that he wished his fingers had been cut off before 
he signed those papers ; and Mr. Brownell testifies under oath 
that he wished his hand had been cut off" first. A few months 
later Magrath disobeyed an order from Commodore Sinclair, for 
which he was required to deliver up his commission as purser 
and to leave the service ; which he did, and a few weeks after 
he blew his brains out. Such was the end of the principal wit- 
ness and prime actor in favor of Elliot ; yet Mr. Cooper extols 
him without stint, as the most reliable witness in the whole 
controversy. 

In like manner, Lieutenant Conklin, the only commander of 
the small vessels from whom Elliot's importunity drew a certifi- 
cate in his favor, expressed regret months afterward in my hear- 
ing, that he had ever given it, stating that it was obtained mider 
the plea that it was to be shown to Mrs. Elliot and other rela- 
tives only, who had heard unfavorable reports of his conduct. — 
This gentleman was afterwards dismissed from the service on 
the charge of intemperance. The other Commanders of the 
small vessels expressed opinions against Elliot, most of them un- 
der oath. Thus you will perceive that the testimony of the 
Commanders of the small vessels was in favor of Perry and 
against Elliot. 

Cooper represents Dr. Parsons several times as a partisan wit- 
ness. ''Two accounts" he says "of the loss of the Niagara 



25 

have been given ; that of the official report and that of her own 
Surgeon. The former was based on returns made to ElHot by 
Dr. Parsons, and that he endeavors to lessen the loss of this brig, 
under the influence he so early manifested," (meaning, in ques- 
tioning the wounded as to the time they were struck. )* 

Mr. Cooper's calumny, of making out a fraudulent return of 
the number of killed and wounded in the Niagara for the pur- 
pose of disparaging Captain Elliot is easily disposed of by sim- 
ply stating the fact that those returns were made out, not by Dr. 
Parsons, but by Purser Magrath of the Niagara, one of Elliot's 
officers and leading certifiers, and is still preserved in his hand 
writing. 

Mr. Cooper is not satisfied witli imputing to Dr. Parsons the 
base design of trying to injure Captain Elliot, when he inquired 
of the wounded of the Niagara, the time they were struck in 
the action, (merely for the purpose of settling their priority of 
claims for siu-gical aid) which he reiterates over and over ; nor 
with asserthig, in five different places in his abusive pamphlet, 
that the Doctor was a native of Rhode-Island and therefore 
prejudiced in favor of Perry and not reliable, (when he had 
never seen Rhode-Island ;) nor with charging him with making 
out a false return of the number of wounded, (which Magrath 
made out,) but he moreover adds, "nor is Dr. Parsons' affidavit 
uncontradicted by even Perry himself. He says that the wound- 
ed from the first of their coming down, complained that the 
Niagara, commanded by Captain Elliot, did not come up to her 
station, and close with the Charlotte although he had been or- 
dered by signal ; and this complaint was frequently repeated by 
them until the Lawrence struck, and repeated by Lieutenants 
Brooks, Yarnell, and Claxton." Perry in his official letter says, 
" Lieutenant Yarnel, first of the Lawrence, though several 
times wounded refused to quit the deck." Here he flatly con- 
tradicts Dr. Parsons's affidavit." Now the reader will remember 
the anecdote, how Yarnell came below with bleeding head, 



* Dr. P. states in his affidavit : " Tlie second day after the action I attended 
the wounded of the Niagara, the surgeon of that vessel being sick ; and out of 
twenty cases, not more than one or two said they were wounded while Captain 
EUiot was on board the ship. On board aU the small vessels which Captain EUi- 
ot brought up, the wounded did not exceed two or three." 



26 

which, after returning to the deck, was covered with cat-tails 
and made him resemble an owl. Obviously Captain Perry's^j 
meaning was that he did not leave the deck permanently al- 
though repeatedly wounded. Can a more contemptible quibble 
be conceived of than Cooper has here resorted to for the purpose ' 
of invalidating testimony given under oath ? Was it incumbent i 
on Captain Perry in order to satisfy Mr. Cooper's taste to specify 
that Yarnell was absent a few moments, two or three times from i 
the deck for surgical aid during a bloody action which lasted 
nearly three hours ? Was Dr. Parsons bound to omit the anec- 
dote, merely to please Mr. Cooper, because Captain Perry had 
thus expressed in general terms the heroic conduct of Yarnell, 
whom he left upon deck in command of his tattered ship when 
he boarded the Niagara ? 

Cooper ranges the witnesses of the Lawrence and Niagara in 
two columns, and exultingly calls the attention of the reader to 
the greater length of the latter list, although he knew, and must 
have felt when he wrote it, that this difference in the length of 
the tAvo columns was owing to the fact that many officers of the 
Lawrence were killed, and none in the Niagara ; that Elliot ob- 
tained their certificates immediately whilst under his command 
and influence, and that Perry's officers were never applied to for 
years after, when some were dead and others scattered, and none 
of them under his command. Was it honorable and ingenuous 
in Cooper to wink out of sight these palpable reasons for the 
different length of the two columns of officers, and exult over 
the Niagara's list as decisive of the controversy in Elliot's favor, 
when the disparity in numbers of survivors resulted from Elliot's 
failing to bear his part in the action ? 

But granting for the sake of the argument, that the officers 
of the Lawrence were partisan witnesses; — that her doctor 
went on board the Niagara and put leading questions to the 
wounded, for the purpose of disparaging Captain Elliott ; — that 
he was a native of Rhode-Island, and accompanied Perry to the 
lakes ; — that he made out a false return of the wounded, — all 
which is untrue, — but granting it, and that he is unworthy of 
belief,' and that the other officers of the Lawrence are equally 
so, and admitting on the other hand that the testimony of the 



27 

Niagara's officers is equally unreliable from partisan feeling, and 
thus balancing one against the other so as to neutralize both, 
and how then stands the evidence ? The commanders of the 
other vessels of the squadron testify that Elliot did not sustain 
his part in the action, that he held back from engaging his an- 
tagonist two horn's. If said in reply, and Cooper has said it, 
that these officers were partial to Perry, then refer the question 
to other arbitrators who were entire strangers to both Perry and 
Elliot, who were eye-witnesses of the battle, and Cooper was 
not one, — to the British officers, who could have felt no interest 
on either side, for no controversy had yet commenced, — con- 
sider too that Barclay had the strongest possible motives to des- 
cribe the battle accurately, since the least deviation from truth 
from whatever influence, must place his honor and reputation 
ever after at the mercy of his officers, and then ask what was 
their decided opinion on this important subject. Commodore 
Barclay says in his official report, — 

" About 10 o'clock the enemy had cleared the Islands, — anil immediately bore 
up, under easy sail, in a line abreast, each brig being also supported by the small 
vessels. At a quarter before 12 1 commenced the action by a few long guns ; a- 
bout a quarter past 12, the American Commodore, also supported by two schoon- 
ers, came close to action -with the Detroit ; the other brig of the enemy," (the 
Niagara,) " apparently destined to engage the Queen Charlotte, kept so far to 
"windward as to render the Queen Charlotte's carronades useless, while she was 
with the Lady Prevost, exposed to the destructive hre of the Caledonia and four 
other schooners armed with lieavy long guns." * ••• * 

" The action continued with great fury until half past two, ^^'hen I peiceived 
my opponent di-oji astern, and a boat passing from him to the Niagara, (which 
vessel was at this time perfectly fresh;) the American Commodore seeing that as 
yet the day was agamst him, (liis vessel having struck soon after he left her) and 
also the very defenceless state of the Detroit, which sliip was now a perfect 
wreck, principally from the raking fire of the gun-boats, and also that the Queen 
Charlotte was in such a situation, that I could receive very little assistance from 
her, and the Lady Prevost being at this tune too far to leeward, from her rudder 
being injured, he" (that is, Perry,) "made a noble, and alas ! too successful effort 
to regain the day, for he bore up, and supported by his small vessels, passed 
within pistol shot, and took a raking position on our bow; nor could I prevent it, 
as the unfortunate situation of the Queen prevented our wearing ; in attempting 
it Ave fell on board her. ^My gaUant first Lieutenant, Garland, was now mortal- 
ly wounded, and myself so severely that I was obliged to quit the deck. * * 
Every officer, commanding vessels, and their seconds, was either killed or wound- 
ed." * * Li conclusion, he adds : " Captain Perry has behaved in a 
humane and most attentive manner, not only to myself and officers, biit to all 
the wounded." 

Barclay you perceive tells the whole story, in all that is ma- 
terial to this controversy, just as Perry told it in his official re- 
port, with the exception of that part wherein Perry tries to save 



Elliot's reputation ; for which friendly act Elliot never forgavf 
him, and Perry had reason never to forgive himself. 

In addition to all this, the officers of the Q,ueen Charlotte did 
in my hearing, and £is Chaplain Breese testifies, did in the hean 
ing of himself and others, when they were asked why theii' shij 
did not engage her antagonist the Niagara instead of firing upor 
the Lawrence, state again and again that the Niagara kept sc 
far astern and off to the windward that their guns could noii 
reach her. 

Let us glance then at the prominent points in the case. Isti 
Elliot had his station and duty assigned him, to fight the dueer' 
Charlotte. Did he perform that duty faithfully ? Commodore 
Perry says no : — Commodore Barclay says no : — The officers ol 
the Q,ueen say wo : — The commanders of the small vessels say 
no : — The wounded of the Lawrence, while weltering in their 
blood said no : — But J. Fennimore Cooper, who was not in the 
action, says yes, and from the obliquity that marks what he has 
written on the subject, his mistakes, mistatements, and false as- 
sumptions, such a decision is perfectly in keeping with his char- 
acter. 2nd : If Elliot was in his place, and performed his duty, 
and shared in the danger, how are we to account for the fact 
that he had only three men killed and wounded, when the Law- 
rence had eighty-three, each ship having one hundred and on© 
men when the battle began ? and how was it that the Niagara 
was a perfectly fresh ship (as the British Commodore states) af- 
ter the Lawrence was a complete wreck ? 

Commodore Barclay on his return to England, after officially 
reporting his defeat and capture, weis subjected to the customary 
ordeal of a Court of Inquiry, and was honorably acquitted. — 
The published report of proceedings stated that when Perry ap- 
proached the Niagara in a boat, "she was making away " from 
the fight, and this was copied into some American papers. A 
Court of Inquiry was in session at the time in New- York, on 
some captains who had lost American ships of war, and Elliot, 
unable to withstand this English version of the action, applied 
to the Secretary of the Navy to permit this Court to examine 
the evidence of his conduct, in order to decide, not whether he 
held back from his station in the action, as several affidavits 



I 



29 



state, but whether he attempted to run away. Five witnesses 
were summoned from the Niagara, and two from the Lawrence. 
They all testified that he was not running away. But the at- 
tempt he then made to draw proofs from them that he did his 
duty in the action, was less successful. The two from the Law- 
rence testified adversely. 

In the finding of the Court, it was regretted that contradictory 
testimony was given, but finally concluded that "the Niagara 
was not rumiiiig away from her antagonist the Queen, but that 
she ran away from the Niagara," {why didiiH he run after her ?) 
" and that Commodore Perry's official report was correct." It is 
to be borne in mind that none of the commanders of the small 
vessels, nor the Commodore were summoned before the Court. 
The testimony of the two officers adverse to Elliot is disposed 
of by Cooper in a summary manner. " Mr. Forrest " he says 
" was a man of very feeble capacity, as was Mr. Yarnell, the 
other Lieutenant." Now, both were brave and intelligent offi- 
cers, and had behaved gallantly in other actions ; but being dead 
when Cooper wrote his pamphlet, he felt it safe to stultify them 
in order to prop the reputation of Elliot. 

There is a singular perverseness in the course pursued by Mr. 
Cooper, in his assaults upon the memory and hard earned fame 
of the lamented Perry. The few pages of his naval history ai> 
propriated to this victory, contain many palpable errors. They 
however exhibit two prominent traits. 1st : the mistakes are 
all made to tell against Perry and in favor of Elliot ; secondly, 
that their general aim is to diminish the glory reflected by 
the victory on American valor and naval skill, by making our 
fleet a vastly superior force to the enemy's. I have not time 
to exhibit the numerous instances showing this tendency, but 
you will find some of them stated in McKenzie's Life of Perry, 
one of the best pieces of Biography ever written in this country. 
But after a lapse of years, when McKenzie had exposed the un- 
fairness of his naval history. Cooper writes in Graham's Maga- 
zine what he calls a Life of Perry, in which he aims his mis- 
siles at the character of that hero, not only in respect to Lake 
Erie matters, but to the subsequent events of his life, particu- 
larly in the Mediterranean, where Perry in a moment of excite- 



30 

ment, occasioned by Avhat he deemed an insult otfered by his 
Marine officer, Captain Heath, gave him a blow with his fist, in 
atonement for which, and because he had violated the rules of 
the service, he exposed his life to a shot from Heath without 
raising his own pistol in return. Cooper insinuates that in this 
instance of giving a blow. Perry was intoxicated. The insinua- 
tion is groundless. I was in the ship at the time, and knew all 
the particulars. The act proceeded from a sudden burst of pas- 
sion under what seemed to him a great provocation. Perry, al- 
though he habitually strove to control his temper, was not al- 
ways successful, and it was the only fault I ever found in him. 
But what shall be said of Mr. Cooper, who, because McKenzie 
criticised his Naval History and exposed its unfairness, sought 
revenge by aspersing the fame of a deceased hero, who had never 
injured him, and whose fame was among the precious jewels, 
not only of Rhode-Island but of the nation, and to throw his 
arrows into the hearts of a bereaved family. 

If you ask for further probable motives that actuated Mr. Coop- 
er in making his attack upon the character of Perry, a passage 
taken from his strange pamphlet, printed not long before his de- 
cease, and distributed by Captain Elliot among the members of 
Congress, may assist in the disentanglement of his motives. " He 
has seen his own work " he says, (referring to his Naval History) 
'' condemned, and, so far as the public authorities were con- 
cerned, excluded from the district school libraries, and all on ac- 
count of its supposed frauds in relation to the battle on Lake 
Erie ; Avhile, on the other hand, he has heard Captain McKen- 
zie's biography of Perry lauded from one end of the Union to the 
other, and preferred to that place in the libraries mentioned, from 
which his own work has been excluded." This fact was too 
much for his arrogant spirit to bear ; it rankled in his bosom 
until his spleen found vent in this pamphlet. 

I can conceive of no other motive for his conduct, unless it 
were the promise of a silver medal from Elliot, which he is 
known to have received, and which bore on one side the head 
of Cooper surrounded by these words, " The personijication of 
Honor, Truth and Justice." 

Elliot had the impudence to send one of these medals to this 



31 

Historical Society, which was rejected, and retmned with a pre- 
amble and resolutions expressed in the following words. 

" Whereas -we honor the character and cherish the memory of Commodore Ol- 
iver H. Perry, and hold in high admiration, the professional skiU, heroic valor, 
and noble conduct, shown by him in the battle of Lake Erie, on the 10th of Sep- 
tember, 1813, by which he achieved a victory glorious to the American arms, and 
gained a name which to us, as citizens of his native State, is a source of honest 
pride ; and whereas in the published -mritings of J. Fenimore Cooper, Esquire, 
relative to that event, he has labored to establish opinions which we can neither 
adopt nor sanction, and whereas justice requires that this body shall not do or 
participate in any act which may imply its acquiescence in the efforts which have 
been made in behalf of Commodore EUiot, to estabUsh for him a reputation de- 
rogatory to the just fame of his deceased Commander. 

It is therefore Hesolved, that the Society declines accepting the medal which 
has been presented in the name of Commodore Elliot ;" and they ordered it to 
be returned through the channel by which it was received. 

Fiction had employed so much of Mr. Cooper's time and at- 
tention, that he was unable to state matters of fact without draw- 
ing on his imagination in such a way as to distort them into a 
conformity to his prejudices. He early in life exhibited a dog- 
ged obstinacy of opinion, that made him appear absurd and para- 
doxical. Contradiction of his opinions, however wild, was not 
to be endured. Captain McKenzie exposed his errors and mis- 
statements. He was responded to in the vituperative language 
contained in the abusive pamphlet before noticed. The pamph- 
let however fell still-born from the press. 

I never knew that such a piece of absurdity was in being un- 
til I commenced this discourse. In the first three pages I find 
six misstatements. Yet it was for this pamhlet that Elliot pre- 
sented the medal ^-to the per sonijier of honor , truth a7id justice " 
and which this society rejected. In return, Cooper seeks re- 
venge by a missile thrown at this society, inserted in the preface to 
one of the early volumes of his last edition, and published a few 
months only before his death. 

It is a curious fact that with all his assaults upon Perry, not 
a word is said to the disadvantage of Elliot, not an allusion is 
made to his misconduct in the Mediterranean and elsewhere. — 
On the contrary he is everywhere lauded of as a paragon of no- 
ble qualities, as an immaculate hero, although at the very time 
Cooper was concocting this strange pamphlet, Elliot was under- 
going a punishment of four years suspension without pay, under 
sentence of a Court Martial, on charges proved against him, of a 



32 

disgraceful character : Yet, neither these nor any other scandal- 
ous acts of Elliot are even hinted at by " the personijier of honor, 
truth and justice.^^ 

Mr. Cooper remarks that a striking characteristic of the Battle 
of the Lake is the bitter controversy that ensued in respect to 
the conduct of the two senior commanders. And who, let me 
ask, but himself is chargeable with blame for it ? He was not 
a party interested. His meddling with it was gratuitous and 
uncalled-for. With Elliot the case was different. The public 
believed him to have failed in his duty, and to have tarnished 
his character, and it was natural for him to plead not guilty be- 
fore the bar of public opinion, to flounce and flounder, and strive 
to clear himself. But with Cooper the case was diflferent. He 
seems to have entered the controversy purely from love of it. — 
He strives to save Elliot by disparaging Perry, and from his pen 
has flown more ink and bile than has been shed by all others. 
Much as Elliot's conduct deserves censure. Cooper's is more 
reprehensible. He enters the lists unnecessarily, and purely from 
love of paradox and thirst for notoriety, unless it were a pros- 
pect of gaining a medal. 

I am well aware that there is little honor gained by striking 
at a dead man, and therefore wish that Mr. Cooper were living 
to hear me. But if he while living labored assiduously to cre- 
ate in the public mind false and injurious impressions against the 
illustrious dead, who had never given him provocation ; if he 
strove to tarnish the pure character and fame of Commodore 
Perry, the rich but only legacy left to a bereaved family, and to 
rob this State and the nation of the glory gained for them on 
Lake Erie, then it is not only excusable but the bounden duty 
of one who was an eye-witness of the doings on the Lake, to 
correct public opinion, by expunging from their minds the asper- 
sions of a calumniator, whether he be dead or alive. 

Am I accused of severity upon Mr. Cooper, in the foregoing 
strictures ? Read his pamphlet, — his abuse of all who testify 
under oath concerning the relative conduct of the two com- 
manders, favorably to Perry; — ^his vituperative attacks upon 
Capt. M'Kenzie and others who had reviewed the evidence, and" 
placed the whole controversy in a faii light, and his impotent 



33 

growls at this Society, for rejecting the proiTered ruedal of him- 
self, and you will decide differently; for not a tithe of his offen- 
sive misstatements and perversions could receive notice in the 
brief hour allotted mc on this occasion. 

I know of nothing that should incline me to favor one Com- 
mander more than the other. Certainly there had been no rea- 
son to complain of ill-treatment from either, personally. Nor 
was there any professional jealousy existing among the medical 
officers of the squadron. The other two were ill, and under 
treatment, and I have never heard that either of them pretended 
to have rendered any assistance to the wounded after the battle 
closed. It was immaterial to me therefore, who fought valiant- 
ly or who failed in his duty, as I was a non-combatant. The 
care of ninety- six wounded devolved on me, and the honor or 
dishonor of performing my duty faithfully or otherwise, was the 
same whether they were wounded in the Lawrence or Niagara, 
— under Perry or under Elliot. 

A few remarks on the character of Commodore Perry must 
conclude this Discourse, already too long. I have alluded to 
his being passionate under provocation, aside from which he was 
the most exemplary officer I ever knew. Possessed of high- 
toned moral feeling, he was above the low dissipation and sen- 
suality that many officers of his day were prone to indulge in. 
His conversation was remarkably free from profanity and indeli- 
cacy, and in his domestic character he was a model of every 
domestic virtue and grace. His acquirements were respectable. 
On the subjects of history and the drama he was well read, and 
had formed opinions that evinced patient thought. He wrote 
with remarkable facility and in good taste. Trained mider the 
experienced teachings of his father and Commodore Rodgers, 
he could not fail of perfection in seamanship and naval disci- 
pline. " Every germ of merit in his officers was sure to be 
discovered and encouraged by him, and no opportunity was ever 
lost of advancing those who performed their duty with cheei- 
fulness and fidelity." He was the most remarkable man I ever 
saw for success in inspiring his officers with a reverential aAvo 
in his presence, and with a dread of giving him offence. Gen- 
erous to tlie full extent of his means, his elegant hospitality es- 



34 

pecially on ship-board in foreign ports, reflected great honor on 
our Navy. Distinguished visitors ever found his ship in most 
perfect order, and left her with exalted opinions of his graceful 
and dignified manners, and of the strict discipline prevailing 
among his officers and men. 

I feel grateful to my audience for their patient attention. — 
Nearly forty years have rolled away, since Perry gained the 
memorable victory, — the first one ever gained over a squadron 
by this Country, and with the lapse of time have passed away 
most of those who were with him. Of the nine commanders 
of vessels, only one survives ; and of the fifteen officers of the 
Lawrence, only Capt, Taylor and myself remain. The thought 
reminds me, as it should do, that my own summons cannot be 
far distant. Entertaining the opinions I honestly do of the in- 
cidents and events of the battle, and of the chief actors in it, — 
opinions which were formed on the spot at the time ; and also 
of the controversy that long after ensued, I have for years felt 
it an imperative duty to present those opinions to the citizens of 
this State on some appropriate occasion. That duty, by your 
appointment has been performed, so far as the brief time allotted 
would permit, and with it has been offered a tribute of respect 
due to the character of the illustrious son of Rhode-Island. — 
Ever may his memory remain enshrined in the hearts of the 
people of his native state, and of a grateful nation ! 



APPENDIX. 



AMERICAN OFFICIAL ACCOUNT. 



No. 1. 



Copy of a letter from Conimodore Perry to the Sea-etary of the Navy. 

U. S. Schooner Ariel, Put-in-Bat, 
13th September, 1813. 

Sir — In my last I informed you, that we had cai^tirred the enemy's fleet on 
this lake. I have now the honor to give you the most important particulars of 
the action. On the morning of the 10th inst. at sun rise, they were discovered 
from Put-in-Bay, where I lay at anchor with the squadron under my command. 
We got under way, the wind light at S. \V. and stood for them. At 10 A. M. 
the wind hauled to S. E. and brought us to windward ; formed the hne and 
brought up. At 15 minutes before 12, the enemy commenced firmg; at 5 min- 
utes before 12, the action commenced on our part. Finding their fire very de- 
structive, owing to their long guns, and its being mostly directed to the Law- 
rence, I made sail, and directed the other vessels to foUow, for the purpose of 
closing witli the enemy. Every brace and bow line being shot away, she be- 
came unmanageable, notwithstanding the great exertions of the Sailing Master. 
In tliis situation she sustained the action upwards of tAvo hours, within canister 
shot distance, until every gun was rendered useless, and a greater part of the 
crew'either ^killed or wounded. Finding she could no longer annoy the enemy, 
I left her in charge of Lt. Yamell, who, I was convinced, from the bravery already 
displayed by him, would do what would comport with the honor of the flag. At 
half-past 2, the wind springing \ip Captain Elliot was enabled to brin</ his vessel, 
the Niagara, gallantly into close action ; I immediately went on board of her, 
when he anticipated my wish by volunteering to bring the schooners, which had 
been kept astern by the lightness of the mud, into close action. It was with un- 
speakable pain that I saw, soon after I got on board the Niagara, the flag of the 
lia^n-ence come down, although I was perfectly sensible that she had been de- 
fended to the last, and that to have continued to make a show of resistance would 
have been a wanton sacrifice to the remains of her brave crew. But the enemy 
was not able to take possession of her, and circumstances soon permitted her flag 
again to be hoisted. At 4o minutes past two, the signal was made for " close 
action." The Niagara being very little injured, I determined to pass through the 
enemy's line, bare up and pass ahead of their two ships and a brig, giA^ing a ra. ing 



36 

fire to them from the starboard guns and to a large schooner and sloop, from the 
larboard side, at half pistol shot distance. The smaller vessels at this time hav- 
ing got -withiii grape and canister distance, under the direction of Capt. Elliot, 
and keeping up a well-directed fire, the two ships, a brig, and a schooner surren- 
dered, a schooner and sloop making a vain attempt to escape. 

Thoue officers and men who were immediately under my observation, evinced 
the greatest gallantry, and I have no doubt that all others conducted themselves 
as became American officers and seamen. Lieutenant Yarnel, first of the Law- 
rence, although several times wounded, refused to qmt the deck. Midshipman 
Forest, (doing duty as Lieutenant,) and Sailing-Master Taylor were of great as- 
sistance to me. I have great pain in stating to you the death of Lieutenant 
Brooks of the marines, and ^Midshipman Laub, both of the Lawrence, and Mid- 
shipm^m John Clark, of the Scorpion ; they were valuable officers. Mr. Ham- 
blcton. Purser, who volunteered his services on deck, was severely wounded late 
in the action. Midshipmen Claxton and Swartwout, of the Lawrence, were se- 
verely wounded. On board the Niagara, Lieutenants Smith and Edwards, and 
Midshipman Webster, (doing duty as Sailing Master,) behaved in a very hand- 
some manner. Captain Brevoort, of the army, who acted m a volunteer in the 
capacity of a marine officer on board that vessel, is an excellent and brave officer, 
and with his musketry, did great execution. Lieut. Turner, commanding the 
Caledonia, brought that vessel into action in the most able manner, and is an of- 
ficer, that in all situations may be relied upon. The Ariel, Lieut. Packet, and 
Scorpion, Sailing Master Champlin, were enabled to get early into the action, 
and were of great service. Capt. Elliot speaks in the highest terms of Mr. Ma- 
grath. Purser, who had been despatched in a boat on service, previous to my get- 
ting on board the Niagara ; and being a seaman, since the action has rendered 
■essential service in taking charge of one of the prizes. Of Capt. Elliot, akeady 
so well known to the government, it would be almost superfluous to speak. In 
this action he evinced his characteristic bravery and judgment, and since the 
close of the action, has given me the most able and essential assistance. 

I have the honor to enclose you a return of the killed and wounded, together 
Avith a statement of the relative force of the squadrons. The Captain and First 
Lieut, of the Queen Charlotte, and First Lieut, of the Detroit, were killed. Capt. 
Barclay, senior officer, and the commander of the Lady Prevost, severely wound- 
ed. Then- loss in killed and wounded, I have not yet been able to ascertain ; it 
must, however, have been very great. 

Very respectfully, I have the honor to be. 

Sir, your obedient servant, 

O. H. PERRY. 

The Hon. Wm. Jones, 

Secretary of the Navy. 



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